Adjustable atttbmobile-buiteb



G. A. LYON.

' ADJUSTABLE AUTOMOBILE BUFFER.

7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, l9l9- 11,325,741.

v m- WM 7% Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

a A u N A M GEORGE ALBERT LYON, F PHILADELPHIA, IPJENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE AUTUMOBILE-BUFFIEB.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, this.

Application filed June 12, 1919. Serial No. 303,550.

b alt whom. it may concern:

lie it known that l, (inoncn ALBERT LYON,

a citizen of the United States, and resident steel strip and having a front or impact receiving portion reinforced by or more or less composed of flanged spring steel strip so as to have a desirable alining action on the cooperating connecting portions of the other members of the buffer. The attaching members of thebuifer adapted to be clamped or otherwise secured to the frame of the automobile or other vehicle may be formed with end loops or curved resilient portions and may in some cases extend inward more or less toward each other, and the flanged spring steel 'strip which preferably forms the front of the buffer may in some cases be outwardly bowed or arched throughout its central portion and may be bolted or clamped to the connecting portions of the other buffer members so as to form substantially vertically rigid connection therewith and constitute a reinforcement thereforin some cases. The form of connecting devices used may be such as to permit the width of the buffer and the distance between its attaching members to be adjusted so as to fit automobiles having frame members located at different distances apart and the alining flange on the front buffer member may advantageously be arranged on the top edge thereof so as to more orvless conceal the cooperating connecting portions of the other buffer members. This application is a continuation in part. of my co-pending application, Serial No. 215,761, filed February 7, 1918, and contains subjectmatter taken therefrom, said prior application more specifically claiming the Figure 1 form of buffer with one or more reinforcing strip's.

Tn the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative embodiments of this invention, V

Fig. 1 is a top view of one form of buffer. F ig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective View showing the different parts in separated Positic' Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. a is a top view of another form of buffer partly insection.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section thereof taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4-; and

Fig. 7 isa top View showing still another form of bufierpartly in section.

The buffer shown in Figs. 1 to 3 may be composed of a number of strips of resilient material such as tempered spring steel and. it is desirable to have these strips, at least throughout such portions as are subject to considerable vertical bending forces, given a considerably greater vertical width than thickness so asto make them vertically rigid while resiliently yielding to a much greater extent in horizontal directions to absorb collision impacts Two such strips are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as having practically similar contour andcom prising attaching members of any suitable shape and construe tion to be connected to the automobile frame or other part of the vehicle. One of these strips may as indicated comprise the attaching member 1 and the transversely extending impact receiving member 3 w ich may be connected by any suitably curved resilient portion, such, for example, as the interposed open end loop 2 which is adapted to extend outward into protective position adjacent the automobile wheel. The other similar spring strip member comprises the attaching member 4, the resilient end loop 5 and the impact receiving member 6 which in the assembled bufi'er is preferably arranged substantially in line with the other impact receiving member and adjustably supported or held in connection therewith.

For this purpose one or more flanged reinforcing connecting members preferably of a resilient character may be clamped or bolted by any suitable connecting devices to the cooperating inner ends or connecting portions of the impact receiving members. Such reinforcin members may be advantageously forme of spring steel strip which has been rolled or formed with a narrow alining flange or portion and may be arranged on either side of the impact receiving Inembersand extend any desired dis tance along the same so as to simultaneously lid llllh connect the same and form a multiple thickness reinforced front portion of the buffer which may advantageously extend at least throughout tlie distance between the attaching members or automobile frame members to which they are connected. As indicated in the drawing the resilient reinforcing member 7 which may be of spring steel strip may be securely connected or clamped on the front side of the impact receiving mem bers' as by, suitable connecting devices or bolts 9, 10 which may extend through square or polygonal connecting openings or holes 14, 15 in this flanged reinforcing member and may, if desired, be provided with square or polygonal shank portions 15 to engage these connecting holes and thereby prevent undesirable rotation of the bolts with respect to this front member. The connecting bolts may extend through suit-able adjusting connecting openings in the impact receiving members to allow their lateral adwhich the co'nnecting bolt fits rather closely the parts aremoreorless prevented from moving or working loose under running conditions.

' As indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 theconnecting bolts may with advantage be formed with rounded heads so as to have a neat and finished appearance in connection with the front reinforcing'or flanged resilient member of the buffer which like the bolt heads may be nickel plated, if desired. One or more nuts 11 may be arranged on each of the bolts and lock washers or other retaining devices 12 may be employed, if desired. Additional vertical rigidity may be given to the connection between the cooperating bufl'er members by the vertical alining flange such as -13, on the reinforcing memher which as indicated in Fig. 3 may more or less overlap the adjacent portions of the impact receiving members and be tightly held in connection therewith by the connecting bolts'or devices so as to minimize or prevent undesirable vertical movement be tween these parts; also by arranging this relatively narrow alining flange atthe top of the front or reinforcing member of the bufi'er it may serve to substantiall conceal the opening between the inner en s of the impact receiving members of the buffer. Such reinforcing members may like the other buffer strips be formed with the usual rounded edges indicated 'in Fig. 3 which vantageously constitute the front or impact receiving member of the buffer to which the other bufl'er strips or members may be clamped, bolted or otherwise secured and constitute doubled or reinforced strength portions of greater or less extent in connection therewith. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the flanged impact receiving or buffer front member 23 which may be 'of tempered spring steel or other resilient material may be originally rolled with a narrow flange 26 which considerably stifi'ens the buffer member and also constitutes a vertical alining flange or portion, facilitating the vertical alinement of the other buffer members which may be clamped or bolted thereto. This flanged impact receiving member 23 may be of arched or forwardly curved form at least throughout its central portion, and for some purposes it is desirable to have the end connecting portions 24:, 25 with which the other buffer members cooperate formed substantially straight so that adjustment of these cooperating connecting portions, such as 22, of the attaching members 20 need not throw these attaching members out of parallelism toeven a slight extent. These attaching members which may be formed of.resilient strips such as tempered spring steel preferably having considerably greater vertical width than thickness may advantageously be provided with a resilient 100 such as 21 adjacent the connecting portion 22 of these buffer members which may be adjustably or .otherwise connected to the resilient front or impact receiving member of the buffer by any suitable clamping or connecting devices, such as clips 27 one or more of which may extend around these members as indicated in Fig. 5 and securely connect them when the bolt 28 passing through the ends 29 of this clamp or clip is tightened. For this purpose the nut 30 and lock washer 31 may be provided so that subsequent loosening of the parts is prevented. The alining flange may advantageously be formed with a somewhat angular alining face 46 as shown in Fig. 5 so that when the cooperating" connection portions or strips 22 are clamped or bolted against this flanged impact receiving or front member their alinement is secured by engagement at this point and at the opposite edge 47 of the connection portion 22. If

may 'be slightly downwardly curved or bent so that as. shown in a somewhat-"exaggerated way in Fig. 6 these connecting portions tend to engage the alining flange at two separated points, such as 42, 43, while the intermediate portion 32 of'this connecting portion is a slightly out of contact at least until the parts are forced home by the engagementof the clamping or. connecting device 2'? with the free edge 47 of this connecting portion.

In this way and by forcing the flat cooperating faces of these resilient stripsor members together strong and reliable connection with the bufier elements is secured combined with convenient adjustment of the parts so as to adjust the distance between the attaching members, such as'20, of the buffer to fit automobile frames of diiferent width. The use of such a narrow alining flange on at least the outer edge of the. front or im act receiving member of thebufi'er gives a p easing appearance thereto as well as reinforcing the resilient yielding action of this bufli'er member and when mounted on an automobile the connecting portions 22 of the attaching members are ractically concealed so as not to undesira-b y interfere with the pleasing contour of the device. a

Fig. 7 shows another illustrative construction in which a flanged impact receivin member 33 vpreferably of res1lient materla such as tempered'or other spring steel strip may be formed with an alining flange 34 against which the connecting portions of the other buffer members may be clamped or bolted in any suitable way. The attaching members 35, 41 of the buifer'may as-illustrate'd be provided .withend connectin portions, such as'36, which may be forme with one or'more connecting slots or openings 37 to receive the shank of the connecting bolt 38 which may securely clamp the parts in adjusted position in connection with the nut 40 and lock. washer 39, if desired; These connecting bolts may be formed with rounded heads'nickel lated or otherwise finished in conformity with the front face of the impactreceiving member of the buffer, if desired. The use of such flanged sprin steel resilient front members gives a very e cient resilient cushioning action to the buffer under collision conditions so that a considerable collision impact can be resiliently absorbed without breaking or permanently deforming the buffer members and as; indicated in Fig.

7 the flanged resilient front member may advantageously extend out to a'sufiicient dis--' tance to protect the wheels of the vehicle if desired" and may be iven a more or less uniform forwardly arc ed or curved contour. This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, forms, proportions, parts, ar

rangements, materials, methods-of connection and use, to the details of which disclosure the invent1on is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Pat ent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim- 1. The automobile'bufi'er comprising a re silient impact receiving front member having considerably greater width than thick ness and formed of tempered spring steel strip and having on its upper edge anarrow allning flange having an angularly arranged rear face, said front member having a for-.

wardly arched central portion and substantially straight end connecting p0rt1ons,.attachlng members of spring steel strip having resilient loop portions and connecting -porsteel strip having resilient loop portions and connecting portions adapted to engage the alining flange of the connectin portions of said front member at separate points and connecting devices to adjustably and substantially rigidly connect said connecting portions and adjust the distance between the rear portions of said attaching members.

3. The automobile buffer comprising a resilient impact receiving front member having considerably greater width than thickness" and formed of spring steel stri and having on its upper e ge a narrow a ining flange, attaching members of spring steel strip having resilient portions and connecting portions adapted to engage the alining flange of the connecting: portions of said front member and connecting devices to adustably connect said connecting portions and adjust the distance between the rear portions of said attachin members.

4. The automobile bu er comprisin afianged resilient impact resisting mem .er having considerably reater width than thlckness extendmg su stantially. throu hwardly arched central portion and substantially straight end connecting portions, at-

silient loop tions adapte of the connecting portions; of sad out thebufier front and having on one-e go '7 an alinlngflange, said member having a for-- impact member at separated points and clamping connecting devices to adjustably and substantially rigidl connect said connectingortions and adJust the distance be- I flanged resilient impact resistin 7 having considerably 10 members.

tween t e 5. The automobile buifer comprising a membereater wldth than thickness extending 'su stantially throughout the buffer front and having on one edge an alining flange, attaching members of steel strip having resilient loop portions and connectingportions adapted to engage the alining flange of'the. connecting portions of said impact resisting member at separated points and connecting devices to substantially rigidly connect said connecting portions.

' A 6.. The automobile bufi'er comprising a flanged. resilient ,impactresisting member having considerably reat'er width than thickness extending su stantially throughout the buffer front, attaching members hav.-- mg, resillent loop portions and connecting portions adapted to engage the flanged connecting portlon's of said impact resistingmember and connecting devices to substan-.

tially rigidly'connect saidconnecting por tions.

7'.-.The automobile bufler, comprising a flanged resilient impact resisting member of tempered spring steel having, considerably greater width than thiclmess extending substantially throughout the buffer front, at-

taching members having resilient curved portions and connecting portions adapted to engage the flanged connecting port1ons of said impact resisting member-and connect-' ing devlc'es'to substantially frigidly connect said connecting portions.

8. .The "automobile bufl'er comprising a bowed im act receivlng front aving eonsi eifably greater 1width an alining flange, attaching members of resilient s ring steel strip having curved portions an connecting portionsfadapted to lie behind'and'engage the alining flange of the connecting portions of 'said' front member at separated points and connecting devices to adjustably and substantially rigidly connect said connecting portions and adjust the dlsrear portions of said attaching tance between the rear portions of said attaching members;

9. The automobile bufi'er comprising a forwardly bowed front member having considerably greater width-than thickness exbufler and formed OfI'GSllieIlil spring steel strip and having connecting portions formed adjacent one edge with an alining flan e, attachmg members of resilient spring stee strip having curved portions and connecting portions adapted to lie behind and engage the alining flange of the connecting portions of sad from member and connecting devices to substantially rigidly connect 'said connecting portions. i

10. The automobile buffer having a resilient impact'receiving front member extending substantially across the buffer and consisting of a tempered spring steel strip and having on one edge an alining flange, said front member having a forwardly arched central portion and substantially straight end connecting portions, attaching members of resilient spring steel stri having outwardly extending resilient oops adjacent the ends of the buffers and connecting portions adapted to engage the alining flange of the connecting portions of said front member at separated oints and connecting devlces to substantlally rigidly connect said connecting portions.

, tending more thanthree quarters across the 11. The'automobile bufi'er having a resilient impact receiving front member extending substantially across the buffer and consisting of a tempered spring steel strip and having on'one edge 'an alining flange, at-

taching members having outwardly extending resilient loops adjacent the ends of'the bufi'er and connecting portions adapted to engage the alining flange of the connecting portions of said 'frontmember and connectmg devices to connect said connecting portions. a

12. The automobile bufi'er having a resilient impact receiving front member and consisting of a'tempered spring steel strip and having on' one ed e-an alining flange, attaching members aving resilient portions and connecting portions adapted to engage the alining flange of the connecting portions of said 'front member and connecting devices to connect said connecting portions.

, GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

